Everyone seems to be bragging on their Christmas decorations this year. Is that just me, or is it more than usual? And the decorations seem to be bigger and better than ever…and going up earlier. Am I imagining that?
Anyway, I thought it was only fair that I share my Christmas tree with you. This year, I too went all out…spared no expense, labored hard, but with a cup of hot chocolate and the right mix of Christmas tunes, I believe I may have outdone myself this year. As you can tell, it’s quite the showpiece….
My only thought now…
If only it was as much fun taking the tree down as it is putting it up. Oh well…that’s not until January…
ENJOY…
Just curious, do you see a change in the timing and size of Christmas decorations this year? How are you responding?
Hi Pastor Ron,
Can I reuse your image in one of my blog posts???
Ha! Absolutely if you want to…email me and I'll forward a document if you need it. I think it's funny you'd want to. My wife thought I had found it somewhere until she saw me playing with my Touchboard app on my iPad. I was just playing around…
Now that you mention it, it seems a little less glittery this year in our neighborhood. I LOVE decorating for the holidays, but even I did a little less than in the past. I am sure it varies from one place to the next. For some reason I had a few light strings decide this was the year of retirement!
I am not one of those 'only want to take one holiday at a time' kind of people. I like to think of it all as one grand season of gratitude – ending with the big celebration of the greatest gift of all. I don't let what others do or don't do influence me – go early – go late – go big – go small – it's an individual thing. It's a heart thing. My prayer is that whatever someone does or however the celebration unfolds – that every heart will eventually prepare Him a room.
BTW – I do love your tree. 😀
Great line Tami… "prepare for Him a room" Thanks!
My rule is Thanksgiving first, then Christmas. I put up fall/harvest sort of decorations before Halloween and keep them up until Thanksgiving Day. If you start Christmas at the end of October and try to keep it going 2 straight months, then by December 25th you will be so sick of it you just don't care anymore. I don't want to celebrate the birth of Christ with an attitude of "Please God just make it stop."
That's what I like about Advent. If we celebrate the waiting, then the arrival of God With Us means a lot more. Decorate the tree, watch the t.v. specials with the kids, and enjoy the Christmas music of our culture. But Advent is an alternative way to keep Christ in Christmas if that is your goal. I didn't grow up with Advent as part of our tradition, but was introduced to it a couple of years ago. I'm sort of a beginner at it myself, but here's what I've learned since 2008: http://wp.me/pfpoV-yM
I'm afraid feeling like the decorations start earlier each year is a tradition in and of itself. My dad did it, the Charlie Brown holiday specials do it. You've just noticed, officially making you a grown up.
Thanks Clark. I didn't grow up with Advent as a part of my church culture that much either, at least as an official celebration. I do love the formality and focus of it though and I am more intentional about it than in years past.
That's truly over the top my friend! What a beautiful tree… 😉
If by the "size and timing" of Christmas you're referring to how early and how commercialized it is, there has definitely been a change even over the last 10 years. Run up for Christmas seems to begin around the last week in October just before Halloween. As for size, I see people's response to Christmas time as the factor there. People seem to be responding with the thought that I can do bigger and better than my neighbor and sometimes co-worker. The true meaning of Christmas is truly lost in all of this or at least that's how it appears.
Great post! And… very funny indeed!
Mike
Good thoughts Michael. Thank you.